Founded in February 1999 and
Still Going Strong.
In February of 1999, our Founder, Col. DiamondDave (ret) started the Dancom Delta Squad in response to interest and the desire to play DF1 in a clean, fun server and one that was populated with custom-designed maps. As the popularity of the game grew, the volume of people frequenting [DD]'s Customer Server increased and so did our membership ranks. The release of DF-LW (Delta Force - Land Warrior) began an exponential growth of Dancom Delta that we see today - as more and more people were able to join and play their game of choice. Always a team that valued the individual and collaborative talents of its members, Dancom Delta members produced dozens of custom maps designed and tested for play in all of our servers.
When DF-BHD (Delta Force - Black Hawk Down) was premiered in 2002, the popularity of the game exposed an entirely new segment of game-player to the team. Recruitment increased and as some of our older members retired from the squad, other new recruits joined the squad. Embracing the bonds of friendship, camaraderie, family and fair-play, Dancom Delta has become one of the longest standing active squads on the NovaWorld network. Not just a "Delta Force" team any more, Dancom Delta has grown into a game-playing organization, embracing games like Battle Field 2, Guild Wars, Diablo II, F.E.A.R., Call of Duty 2, etc.. As with any Dancom Delta server, our role is to provide an enjoyable, safe, friendly and fair arena to enjoy online gaming. It is a mantra we feel very strongly about, and take very seriously.
What does the future hold? The sky is the limit! We have held annual get-togethers for the past two years and are hard at work planning 2006's already. We hold holiday parties in our server and take part in other squads' events as well. Implementation of new hardware and software to our already substantial infrastructure is an ongoing task that we do in support of our game play and the enjoyment of all who visit our servers and forum.
Beginning – Delta Force 1999- 2001
The history of Ðancom Ðelta™ goes back almost as far as the release of the first game in the Delta Force series. Delta Force, now more commonly known as DF1, was unleashed on the gaming community in October of 1998.It wasn't long after that release when soon to be [ÐÐ]™ founder, Dave, was introduced to the game.
Dave's words:
My friend Mike (Honorary IguanaMan[ÐÐ]™ ) here in Danville gave me the box set of DF from his store. Showed me how to start playing while there and said I need a name and he typed in "DiamondDave". So I was addicted to DF and the 3-D outside maps. Then I met this joker while hosting we all cherish now as Bulldog[ÐÐ]™ . Well, things got rolling and along come other fine people we now know as [ÐÐ]™ . Ourselves.
Dave never started out with the intentions of forming a squad. Ðancom Ðelta™ evolved from the love of the game and the friendships that formed and grew while playing together online. After Dave got hooked on the game, it was not long before he opened up the map editor and thus began the tradition of hosting the great custom maps which [ÐÐ]™ prides itself upon. In fact it was the creation and hosting of the custom maps which sowed the seeds and began the real roots of the formation of the squad.
After he began making maps, Dave started hosting the maps on his 56k home connection as "Dave's Game". This is when he ran into a fellow gamer named "Rekoj" (joker spelled backwards...lol) who found himself frequenting "Dave's Game" on a regular basis. Somewhere along the way this Rekoj fellow transformed into the guy we now know as Bulldog[ÐÐ]™ . Dave got Bulldog into making maps and they began collaborating on several maps together. By the end of 1998 they were making maps separately and together, and taking turns hosting with Dave being the primary host. By this time DF players had begun to seek out the games that were being hosted, not only for the unique custom maps but also because of the gaming atmosphere provided. Even before it's inception, [ÐÐ]™ servers were always cleanly run, with no trash talking, foul language or cheating allowed. "Dave's Game" began to have many fans and many regular visitors.
Around February 1999, DiamondDave decided to make it official and started the Ðancom Ðelta™ Squad. Dave asked Bulldog to add the [ÐÐ]™ tags to the end of his name, changed the name of the server to [ÐÐ]™ Custom and they began to spread the word about the server and the custom maps. At the same time, other regular server guests were asked if they would like to join the squad and wear the [ÐÐ]™ tags, and thus the Ðancom Ðelta™ Squad was officially born.
Among some of the first members, Bulldog[ÐÐ]™ , Minotaur[ÐÐ]™ , Renegade[ÐÐ]™ , Intimidator[ÐÐ]™ and others, was Mixxler[ÐÐ]™ who decided to send DiamondDave[ÐÐ]™ a computer so that [ÐÐ]™ could begin hosting on a dedicated server. Bulldog[ÐÐ]™ also had a spare computer and sent it to Dave to help out with the Ðancom Ðelta™ cause. Still hosting on 56k, then advancing to cable hosting, the big breakout day came when Dave set up hosting on the T1 connection. Finally able to smoothly host 16 players, the popularity of the [ÐÐ]™ Custom server skyrocketed.
Along with the dedicated servers and T1 line connection, many new members were inducted into [ÐÐ]™ . Many of whom are still with us today. All of these members did their part to contribute to the squad in any way they were able. Whether it was simply playing in the server, fighting in and setting up matches, helping to administrate and monitor the server, or creating custom maps, each member added a special and unique quality to the rest of the squad. These were the days when there was only DF1 and the game type we mainly played and hosted was Capture the Flag. Many [ÐÐ]™ soldiers contributed custom maps, but none more memorable than Life of Agony[ÐÐ]™ . As one of our members put it, "Life was cranking out maps like they were coming off a toilet paper roll". He did the biggest part to build the total of CTF maps hosted by [ÐÐ]™ to 107+ maps.
When Delta Force 2 came out, a few of our members bought the game and enjoyed it, but it never really took hold on the squad as a whole. We continued to primarily play DF1 Capture the Flag.
New Beginning – Delta Force Land Warrior (2001 – 2003)
The story was quite different when Delta Force: Land Warrior, the 3rd game in the DF series, appeared on store shelves on November 8, 2000. Many of our members rushed out to buy the game and were very pleased with the new graphics engine, smoother graphics and choice of new weapons for DF:LW. While continuing to play DF1, those who were able to play DF:LW found themselves more and more drawn to what the game had to offer. After a couple of months or so, the squad found itself seeking the best way to proceed having many members who preferred to play DF1 and many members wanting to play DF:LW instead. So it was decided to split the squad into 2 Companies (Coys), thus providing the ability to induct new members according to the game version they preferred to play.
The squad made the official division in August 2001 and the DF:LW members got their own dedicated server hosted on the T1 line connection in addition to the one provided for DF1 members. The decision to divide the squad was a difficult one at the time. Although members wanted to play different games, we did not want to break the bonds we had all built with each other when we were a DF1 only squad. A solution was provided where each Coy would have it's separate email account for gaming purposes, but both Coy's would share a common email account so that we could still communicate and stay in touch.
So it was created, DDcoy1 for DF1 players and DDcoy3 for DF:LW players. The plan worked very well, allowing both units to induct members separately and enabling matches to be set up for both game versions. Unlike DDcoy1 who continued to play DF1 CTF, the DF:LW players took up primarily playing Team King of the Hill games. Even before the DF:LW dedicated server was provided, games were being hosted by members. So Life[ÐÐ]™ and Twinkle[ÐÐ]™ set up right away creating custom maps to be hosted. However, most of the maps created for [ÐÐ]™ DF:LW hosting were made by Face of Death[ÐÐ]™ , who was not even a member for many of the months he built and donated maps to the squad. Another recent addition to the map making crew is long time member Taz[ÐÐ]™ , who has also created some great maps to play.
About a year and a half after DF:LW hit store shelves, Delta Force: Task Force Dagger was released. Not long after, the news was out that Delta Force: Black Hawk Down would also be coming out soon. Now with all of the different versions of Delta Force being played by our members, [ÐÐ]™ decided to do away with the squad divisions for each game. Instead we decided to re-combine our coys and function together once again. In September of 2002 we re-combined DDcoy1 and DDcoy3 and also established a European division to better suit the needs of our Euro members who are not always able to play during the times that our USA and Canadian members play.
Growth
– Black Hawk Down Team Sabre
2003 -2005
The
Resurrection! A revolutionary idea was brewing. RavenClaw[ÐÐ]™ envisioned a true On-Line Gaming Social Club. Since all members played more than one game, it seemed befitting that those popular games be incorporated into the fabric of DancomDelta. It was a logical extension to the actuality of what this Family did. So with that idea, he led DancomDelta into new games. Blackhawk Down was phased out, and new genres were explored.
At any given time, DancomDelta was involved in Battlefield 2, Guild Wars, and the Flagship gaming server became EA Games Battlefield 2142. For relaxation, a DancomDelta Golf Club was formed in both tiger Woods 2006 and 2007, allowing many [ÐÐ] members to play both internal and external tournaments and scrub games. The gaming was fun and contagious, with 2142 being a very high paced, noisy game. Because of the intensity of the EA gaming genre, and because EA Games did not allow the creation of recognized custom maps, we found that DancomDelta was suffering. No longer were we unique amongst the thousands of server and players, no longer could we use the heart and soul of DancomDelta, our ability to converse with our Guests. We were slowly becoming just another Port in a Storm, instead of the THE place to have a great time and look forward to returning to. We lost our edge, and slowly we came to the realization we needed to find that [ÐÐ] Spirit again.
During this period some of our members with insufficient cable speeds to play the EA Games remained in DFBHD servers, representing DancomDelta. It was made known to us that many BHD players were inquiring about the loss of the famous [ÐÐ] servers, and wanted to know where to find us. This calling and our own knowledge of our strengths drew us back again and again to the question; “Where do we go from here?”. Many discussions were held within the Squad. At the same time, daily living caught up to many senior members who were poised to assume high management positions to guide DancomDelta.
These members were forced to
retire to deal with real
life issues, while our Squad
Leader of seven years, RavenClaw, expressed that he too needed a rest. It seemed that we were nearing an end of an era, we could hear the bells tolling.
It was not DancomDelta’s time to fold however. In order to rejuvenate the Squad, we had to return to our roots. He also knew that a transfusion was needed, a new life blood that would select like individuals to stir and replenish that [ÐÐ] Spirit and fire. He knew he hadn’t the energy to lead that charge, and so he selected a new Commanding Officer and instructed him to choose carefully and wisely, those persons who would surround and support him.
Thus was born The Resurrection!
Gaming
the way it should be
The battle was a tough one
our key game was passing
into gaming history and
there was no replacement,
Grayhawk[ÐÐ] supported by
Basey[ÐÐ] out of their depth
without a new gaming title
as this was new territory
for them and a test that
they would have to take for
[ÐÐ] to survive. New games
were tired with the Call of
Duty series becoming a
popular favourite and DFBHD
still providing quality
gaming. By mid 2008 Dancom
had stabilised thanks to the
efforts of its members and
the new breed the Dancom
Delta Juniors...[ÐÐ] had
become a second generational
squad and while our motto
"Leads the Way" was still
our catch cry a whisper in
the background shouted "once
[ÐÐ] always[ÐÐ]" and Dancom
saw the return of retired
members, and a new
enthusiasm began to swell in
the Dancom ranks. By early
2009 the the Dancom spirit
had risen and the shackles
of the past where shaken off
and Dancom Delta raised its
head to celebrate its 10th
year. Our website forums
galleries and services all
received a face lift thanks
to returning member
Removalist[ÐÐ] and the hard
work of our resident Network
engineer Spectre[ÐÐ] made
sure that our servers were
again running hot. Interest
again began to grow in
Dancom Delta without knowing
it Grayhawk and his band of
resilient Dancom members had
infected the [ÐÐ] spirit
once more upon the gaming
world they had passed the
test with flying colors. If
you want to know who those
members were just check our
members list, the names are
still there. Dancom Delta
didn't need a game to move
forward this time it did it
through friendship and
spirit moving forward with
strength and the combined
dignity of character of each
of its members. Now hosting
CODWAW and DFBHD we await
the release of the next game
that we may play, it maybe
DFAngel Falls but it doesn't
matter because Dancom Delta
has after 10 years proved
that around here, its
"Gaming the way it should
be"....with friends that
matters most. As we move
further into our tenth year
we don't yet know what the
future holds but we do know
we are strong and we can
face any challenges that
come our way.
